The disclosure herein relates to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to devices for performing such treatment. For example, methods and devices to initiate, prevent, and/or adjust the delivery of vagal stimulation based on monitored physiological parameters.
The use of nerve stimulation, e.g., stimulation of the vagus nerve, for treating and controlling a variety of medical, psychiatric, and neurological disorders has seen significant growth over the last several decades, e.g., including the treatment of heart conditions. The vagus nerve is composed of somatic and visceral afferent fibers (which, e.g., convey impulses toward the brain) and efferent fibers (which, e.g., convey impulses to an effector to regulate activity such as muscle contraction or glandular secretion).
The rate of the heart may be restrained in part by parasympathetic stimulation from the right and left vagus nerves. Low vagal nerve activity may be related to various arrhythmias, including tachycardia, ventricular accelerated rhythm, and rapid atrial fibrillation.